Question: I disagree with your statement that there is such a
thing as "eternal separation from God in Hell." Please tell
me, is God so cruel and uncaring that he would punish rebellious people
to be tortured in Hell for all eternity?

Answer: I'm not surprised that you reject the disturbing
doctrine of eternal condemnation in Hell. Many reject the doctrine of
Hell. Sinners do not like to think they are so corrupt and evil that
they merit such a severe punishment. Sinners are more likely to malign
God and accuse Him of cruelty and injustice, rather than worship Him who
is perfectly just and a consuming fire.

Yet human unbelief does not change reality one bit. It is fatal to
build our beliefs on sentimentality rather than the Word of the
all-knowing God. The Bible is clear: hell does exist and its punishment
is everlasting.

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me,
you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his
angels... And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life (Matthew 25:41,46).

Just as the righteous enjoy eternal life, even so the cursed will
experience eternal punishment. The Lord uses exactly the same word to
describe both destinies.

The Lord Jesus emphasized the eternal nature of hell. Note how often
He repeats that the fire of hell is not quenched and the worm does
not die -

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell,
into the fire that shall never be quenched - where their worm does not
die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin,
cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than
having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never
be quenched - where their worm does not die, and the fire is not
quenched. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is
better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than
having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire - where their worm does not
die, and the fire is not quenched (Mark
9:43-48).

Yes, hell exists and its condemnation is forever.

All of us merit God's righteous condemnation. Yet there is a way of
escape from the terrible consequences of our sin. Jesus is the Way. God
so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. May every one
of us flee to Jesus for forgiveness and mercy at this last hour of
grace.

Copyright Dr Joe Mizzi.
Permission to copy and distribute this article without textual changes. <
BACK TO Q&A